The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-28

time smittsn by fatal malady. The uncon-
querable character of his nature was never more
clearly demonstrated than then. 1t would
be difficult to exaegerate the heroic
fortitude and true Christian patience he dis
played in the pathetic. unequal but successful
struggle that followed. Job cried out IN his
lamentations and said 'Oh that mine adversary
had written q bookp as if that were, as it prob
ably is the most surely fatal undertaking any
ordinary man can assume General Grants last
work was to write book. He had q double
purpose to serve. He sought not only to record
his recollection of the great events with which
he had been identified, but also to provide
against want for the faithful and deserving com
panion of his life and partner OF all his joys and
sorrows 1t has been graphically said by some
that as he sat at one side of the table writ
ing. Death sat at the opposite side impatiently
waiting and watching. Without a tremor or a
murmur he devoted himself to his labor Of love.
merciful Providence heightened his days and
gave him strength until the last line and word
had been written. and his heart had been glad
dened oy the assurance that both his purposes
had been accom- lished and then as gently as
day into night he passed into eternity
THE Americas Club do we'll to honor his
memory, by such celebrations as this of the day
when he was born. He was not only our great
est soldier and the most distinguished and repre-
sentative American VINO ever travelled abroad.
but next after Lincoln ne was our greatest Pres
ident and our greatest Republican,"
The responses to other toasts were as follows:
"Keystone State" Hon. c. W. Stone; .Repub-
lcan Party" Charles F. Warwick, Philadel-
phia; political Clubs--Their Usefulness in
Party Organization" ]. P. Foster, president of
the Republican Club, of New York; Tariff for
Protection" read for Hon. William Mckinley.
jr., who was uuavoidably delayed. j. P. Foster,
president of the Republican Club, of New York,
who responded to "Repu blican Clubs-Their
Usefulness in Party Organization" in the course
OF his remarks, said:
"The club should be the drill-room from which
its members may go forth into the active army
of the party at large. armed and equipped with
those invlncible truths OF the party
which shall carry conviction and
club should stand intermediate between
the voter, on the one hand, and the regular
party organization on the other. 1t should not
attempt to override the free will OF the nor
to usurp the power of the other, but the club
can act as unit and as a power to create public
opinion to formulate the great principles of the
party. 1t can prepare and proclaim those eter-
nal truths as the foundations upon which the
party must rest Then enlarge the view, and
call q conference or convention of these we!lor-
ganized bodies prior to national convention,
and let the proposed platform. be discussed.
There are to-day notices. than twenty, and perhaps
double that number. of Republican clubs of
value and standing, and their constituents Iun
up into many thousands of voters Assemble
these array the party issues, and the land
would resound with the true principles of the
party, enunciated in such clear and decided
tones that the convention would take up the re-
frain and proclaim them as its own Such be-
lieve to be the power of united effort of drilled
and matured thought. or of a concert Of action
by the various clubs in these cities"
He advocated the formation Of Republican
clubs composed of young men, and concluded by
saying that, unity in action will impress
conviction on men, so the club is the rallyng
cet ire of the Republicans. and can be made the
49, 1.aon th~ nlall ~
other means. In this noble work the past and
present glory of tine Republican party may be
retained, and it will grow in lustre the ranks
I'LL up, the numbers increase, and the grand old
party moves on, unswerved and undsturbed by
the course of time. to its reinstatement at the
head of national power
Mr.. Fl. H. Byram. of the reception committee,
then read the following letters Of regret:
NEW YORK, April 81, 1887.
'Gentlemen-Please receive my thanks for
your invitation to attend the dinner to be given
by the Americas Club, of Pttsburg, on the ap-
preaching anniversary of the birth of General
Grant. A committee of the club did me the
honor, some time ago, IN person to invite me in
most cordial and agreeable terms. Reasons
which for several years have imposed abstinence
in all cases from political and other public occa
stems compelled me to state to the committee my
inability to be present, and can but repeat that
l must deny myself the pleasure To join in
paying honor to the memory Of a man so illus
so firm set. SO calm and enduring under cal
umny. suffering and sorrow. would be q mourn
full and grateful privilege. should
feel at home in doing so with
those who did not wait for the gloriication
Of his death 10 show them the rugged grandeur of
Grant or the honesty OF his purposes and his
reverence for the rights of every fellow-creature
The armies he led have disbanded. never,
trust, to reasonable in battle array The party
he led to victories, perhaps less useful than
those of war; has not disbanded, though it may
not have kept step in the march of events All
who believed in IL and strove for it would like
to see it resume the spirit, the prowess and the
earnestness which made and kept it great, and
useful. and triumphant The survival OF the
fttest among the political organizations now
asking public confidence might be realized by the
revival of the Republican party, providing il
can discover the questions deserving of atten.
ton, take the right side of them, and then
act up to its convictions. Some such
thing may be considered at your proposed
dinner; it would surely not be inappropriate to
Grants birthday. Indeed, way in which
his countrymen may do homage to his memory
is to lay to heart such lessons his deeds. his
words and his experience have lent US. Trust
ing that the evening may be full of profit, cor
daily your obedient servant.
ROSCOE CoNKL1NG"
RICHMOND, Va. April 1S, 1887.
s'H. d. w. English, H. II. Byram and others Com.
mittee Americas Republican Club, Pittsburg:
"Gentlemen-Accept my sincere thanks fol-
your invitation to be present at your first annua
dinner at the Monongahea House. on the 9th
inst, on the occasion of the sixty-ifth ami
versary of Gen. U. S. Grants birthday. 1,
would give me great pleasure to be present if il
were possible. but other engagements will pre-
vent. You will assemble at time when every
cloud that lowers over the house OF
RepublicanisU seems to be floating away
and brighter day than for that great
party seems to be dawning. You meet to com
memorate a man who lived and died trusted anG
respected by friend and foe one who was a.
magnanimous he was brave who knew 10
the meaning of vindictiveness and yet was ths
type and synonym of frmness and who, afte
being the leader Of onehaf divided nation il
the btterest of struggles, died beloved by every
sens Die man in his reunited country So ions
as the simple, firm. generous, clear-headed char
acter of General Grant is honored by q whol,
nation there is no danger to the liberties of thi
country. Yours truly, JOHN s. WISE"
Letters Of regret were also received from
Hon. Ben Harrison. OF Indianapolis; Hon Will
lam NJ. Evarts, New York; Hon. Robert T
Lincoln, Chicago; Gen. w. T. Sherman, New
York; Hon. ]. r. Hawley, Hartford, Conn
Hon. John Cessna, Bedford, Pa; Hon. G. w
Childs, Philadelphia Hon. FL. H. Sawyer
Oshkosh, Wis., Governor Beaver Of Penn
sylvania; Leland Stanford of California, an,
others.
1t was after midnight before the regular pro
L.